25. Blasphemy is Kind of My Thing

As evening approaches, Rufus finds Jason helping a vendor, Dan, fry skewers at the night market, demonstrating how comfortably Jason has settled into the village. Rufus notes the group’s inn location and moves on.

Earlier that afternoon, Jason wandered the ring road, chatting with proud, friendly locals and admiring the lush oasis. He discovered a bulletin board of local monster sightings maintained by villagers and periodically cleared by adventurers on punitive patrols. Jason’s stories about blood cults made him a sought-after curiosity. He met divers gathering water quintessence, the mayor, and the waterfall guard, learning the astral-space source is strictly protected but viewable up close.

At sunset, enticed by Dan’s skewers, Jason introduced himself and began learning to cook the worm-based bruschard. This culminates in the next morning, when he serves the team deep-fried, sauced eggs. The landlady Martha has been hosting him in the kitchen, and Gary, Farrah, and Rufus are impressed.

Bantering turns tense when Jason jokes about blasphemy, provoking Anisa. Rufus intervenes, asking Jason to stop provoking her for team unity. Jason agrees to try, framing this world as a chance to become a better version of himself, though he admits Anisa gets under his skin.

Talk shifts to their mission. Rufus reports their betrayer has already fled, but he insists on pursuing to get answers before turning the man over to Anisa’s church. Jason suggests local leads, like Old Murph at the general store, but declines to join the manhunt, planning instead to hike to view the waterfall’s astral aperture under guard. Gary is tempted to go with Jason, but Rufus refocuses the team: they will investigate and give chase—after breakfast.